Published February 3, 2005The NAACP has sent a letter to the IRS telling the federal agency that it was refusing to cooperate with the investigation of its tax-exempt status. The privileged tax status of the nation's oldest civil rights organization may be in jeopardy if the NAACP engaged in prohibited partisan political activity during last year's presidential election. At issue are the remarks made by NAACP Chairman Julian Bond on July 11, 2004, at the NAACP's annual convention.

NAACP Interim President and CEO Dennis Hayes has charged that the IRS investigation, which was officially launched on Oct. 8, apparently in response to complaints filed by two congressmen, was "clearly motivated by partisan politics." An NAACP statement declared that the organization "has rejected the IRS's premise that Bond's speech constituted prohibited campaign intervention."

The NAACP reports that the IRS, in its communications with the civil rights group, "claims that Bond, speaking at last year's convention, 'condemned' President Bush's war, economic and educational policies." Referring to the IRS' reported rationale for launching its investigation, Mr. Bond asserted, "Under that standard, 55 million Americans would be subject to audits."

Apart from the fact that more than 60 million Americans -- not 55 million -- actually voted for presidential candidates other than George W. Bush, Mr. Bond also errs in failing to consider the relevant fact that none of those divided voters, unlike the NAACP on whose behalf Mr. Bond was speaking, enjoys tax-exempt status.

In a letter to Rep. Charles Rangel, who is the ranking member of the House Ways...

Of course, this was "politically motivated" -- but the barrage of audits against conservative entities under the Clinton Administration weren't? Funny thing, none of those conservative entities REFUSED to cooperate with the IRS like the NAACP!

NAACP Interim President and CEO Dennis Hayes has charged that the IRS investigation, which was officially launched on Oct. 8, apparently in response to complaints filed by two congressmen, was "clearly motivated by partisan politics." An NAACP statement declared that the organization "has rejected the IRS's premise that Bond's speech constituted prohibited campaign intervention."

What's the line about staying quiet while "they" [the IRS, in this case] go after everyone else, only to have no one left to defend you when "they" come looking for you?

"He has selected nominees from the Taliban wing of American politics, appeased the wretched appetites of the extreme right wing and chosen Cabinet officials whose devotion to the Confederacy is nearly canine in its uncritical affection."

11
posted on 02/03/2005 3:22:12 PM PST
by Howlin
(It's a great day to be an American -- and a Bush Republican!!!!)

Washington (CNSNews.com) - In remarks to hundreds of cheering liberal activists Wednesday, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond singled out Republicans as enemies of black Americans and compared conservatives to the terrorist Taliban who once ruled Afghanistan.

"Their idea of equal rights is the American flag and the Confederate swastika flying side by side," Bond told a cheering audience. "They've written a new constitution for Iraq and ignore the Constitution here at home. They draw their most rabid supporters from the Taliban wing of American politics. Now they want to write bigotry back into the Constitution."

Bond's remarks came at an opening of the liberal Take Back America conference, a three-day event that has drawn more than 2,000 liberals from across the country to the nation's capital. Bond spoke moments after MoveOn.org founders Joan Blades and Wes Boyd received a rousing ovation from the partisan crowd.

Bond called the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 two of America's greatest achievement. He then went on to attack Republicans.

"The passage of these two laws in 1964 and 1965 marked the beginning of the dependence of the Republican Party on the politics of racial division to win elections and gain power," Bond said. "By playing the race card in election after election, they've appealed to that dark underside of American culture, to that minority of Americans who reject democracy and equality. They preach racial neutrality and they practice racial division."

Even though Bond said the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People remains a non-partisan organization, he reserved some of his harshest criticism for President Bush. Bond, who has been chairman of the NAACP since 1998, accused Bush of trying to starve the government of money through tax cuts. He said social programs aimed at minorities have suffered as a result.

"We have a president who talks like a populist and governs for the privileged," Bond said. "We were promised compassionate conservatism; instead, we got crummy capitalism."

Blades and Boyd delivered tempered speeches compared to Bond's blistering address. Both of the MoveOn founders used a computer slide show to accompany their speeches. Blades declared "right-wing extremism" a dead end for America, while Boyd told the audience that he believes MoveOn members speak for a majority of Americans.

At an awards gala Wednesday evening, the 15-member staff of MoveOn and its political action committee accepted an award for leadership. MoveOn claims to have more than 2 million members, many who have helped raise money for television and print ads attacking Bush.

One of MoveOn's biggest supporters, philanthropist and financier George Soros, is scheduled to speak at the conference on Thursday. A last-minute announcement Wednesday revealed that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) will introduce Soros.

The liberal billionaire has given $2.5 million to MoveOn, a fraction of the nearly $15 million he's contributed to defeat Bush.

12
posted on 02/03/2005 3:23:13 PM PST
by Howlin
(It's a great day to be an American -- and a Bush Republican!!!!)

Yeah! And next how about the unions (AFL-CIO?)??? I notice the teachers union enjoys the same tax-exempts status, and yet teachers and professors have been VERY vocal in partisan politics. They also have their 'own special' retirement program, instead of social security. SS is just not 'good enough' for them.

It's time to eliminate all these special interest 'special' groups. The people that these groups are composed of are no better than you, me or ANYONE. They should have to PAY IN to the exact same systems that us PEONS have to pay into (against our will).

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